This week is Peer Review Week 2020, a yearly global event celebrating the essential role that peer review plays in maintaining scientific quality. The event brings together individuals, institutions, and organizations committed to sharing the central message that good peer review, whatever shape or form it might take, is critical to scholarly communications. The Scholarly Kitchen brought this topic to our attention in their article, “Ask The Chefs: Improving Trust In Peer Review.”
This week of recognition prompts some professionals to ask if peer review is due for a change. One of the main issues that cause academia to take pause is bias in review. If removing even the slightest hint of unconscious bias is possible, there is strong support for change. Everyone is vulnerable to unconscious bias. Double-blind peer review helps us navigate to a more equitable approach to publishing and trust in peer review.
To add to the trust building, publishers should be acutely aware while developing new policies, practices and procedures that anything can have adverse effects. It is the journal publishers’ responsibility to protect our authors and community from anything that could jeopardize their well-being.
Melody K. Smith
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